Earning Disclaimer

Bimouse.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Bluetooth Mouse

Bluetooth has become increasingly popular in the last five or so years. While most of us are familiar with how it benefits our mobile devices, it’s also becoming a popular feature with computer mice too. However, before you go and pick one up for yourself, consider both the advantages and disadvantages they have to offer, to ensure you’re making a good purchase.

How a Bluetooth Mouse Works

First, though, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about how this type of mouse actually works. These mice rely on radio waves to facilitate communication between them and their computers. When working properly, a Bluetooth mouse can be effective at a generous range and can be used with a number of different devices too.

Now let’s take a look at some of the reasons these mice have become so popular.

Mobility

You can take a Bluetooth mouse just about anywhere and they don’t need much space to travel, meaning you can toss it in a pants pocket if you like. Due to the fact that Bluetooth mice don’t need “lines of sight” to their computer—like an infrared mouse does—they can work even when they’re as much as 30 feet away from the device.

Compatibility

Like we mentioned earlier, a Bluetooth mouse can work with more than just your computer. As long as you have the proper drivers installed, for example, you can use one of these mice with your cell phone. They can even be used with cordless home phones, MP3 players and PDAs. This can make exploring menus and doing various other tasks much easier on such a small screen.

Price

This feature of Bluetooth mice could probably go in either section. On the one hand, a Bluetooth model is definitely going to cost you more than the traditional or infrared kind. However, prices have fallen considerably over the years and show every sign that they will continue to do so. When you consider their advantages, many people would agree these mice are worth the extra cost.

On the other hand, there are certainly some reasons to believe that Bluetooth mice may not be the best option for many.

Interference

Bluetooth mice aren’t designed to be especially secure. While this won’t leave you vulnerable to hackers, it does mean that other Bluetooth devices may interfere with your signal and keep your mouse from working properly at times.

Installation

If your computer isn’t already Bluetooth enabled, it can be a bit difficult to get your mouse setup. You’ll need a Bluetooth adaptor, for one, which will add to your costs and may take some troubleshooting to get working right. Even if you don’t need the adaptor, it might be difficult for you to get one device to recognize the other.

Using a Bluetooth mouse is definitely an attractive prospect for all the reasons we listed above. However, it’s worth thinking about the challenges that come with these types of mice too, before making a significant investment in one.